1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video editing apparatus that utilizes electronic motion video image data and generates program data, for example, for television broadcasting programs.
2. Description of the Related Art
A technique that stores motion video images as electronic motion video image data in a hard disk and edits the electronic motion video image data to generate program data with the aid of a computer, that is, a non-linear editing technique, has been popularized recently. FIG. 20 shows a prior art process of non-linear editing. Here shows an exemplified screen display for non-linear editing that takes advantage of GUIs (graphical user interfaces).
In the exemplified process of non-linear editing, an editing window PW for carrying out edition and a transition effects window EW for selecting transition effects of different scenes. Motion video images, which will be the element of program data, have titles like CLIP1 and CLIP2 allocated to the respective video clips representing different scenes and are stored fragmentarily in a hard disk of a computer. In the editing window PW, motion video images used in a program and their lengths are shown on a video editing bar VB for setting main image data. The widths of the respective illustrated areas CLIP1 and CLIP2 correspond to the time periods for which the respective motion video images or video clips are displayed.
Switchover effects between the successive motion video images, such as cutting and wiping effects, are arbitrarily set on a transition effects setting bar EB. Each of these effects is set by dragging and dropping a corresponding icon displayed in the transition effects window EW through an operation of a mouse or another input device as shown by the arrow in FIG. 20. In response to an input command for carrying out the edition according to the settings, motion video images CLIP1 through CLIP 6 are played back on the display of the computer with the preset transition effects between the respective pairs of successive video clips. The edited series of motion video images may be recorded on a video tape or another recording medium.
The non-linear editing technique also allows a user to insert a cover image into a desired video clip on a cover image bar CB, in addition to the transition of the respective motion video images or video clips. When captions or telop (television opaque projection) are specified as cover images, an output composite image includes the captions or telop superimposed on the clips specified on the video editing bar VB.
If an identical editing effect, for example, a transition effect or a screen effect is used at a plurality of different positions, the prior art non-linear editing technique requires specification of the identical editing effect individually at the respective positions. In the example of FIG. 20, the same transition effect ‘CUT’ is used at three different positions among the six transition effects. This transition effect ‘CUT’ must be specified individually. In the case where the user desires to change the transition effect ‘CUT’ at all the three positions to another transition effect, it is required to specify the new transition effect again individually at these three positions.
In general, the same transition effect is frequently used in the similar circumstances in one program. For example, in the case of television broadcasting, an identical transition effect is typically applied in common for transition between the scene at a studio and other scenes. Another identical transition effect is typically applied in common for transition between the main video film and advertising films. In the prior art non-linear editing technique, the transition effect must be set individually on each occasion of transition between successive video images as discussed above. When the user desires to change the type of the transition effect, the prior art non-linear editing technique accordingly requires specification of the new transition effect individually at the respective positions. This is extremely troublesome and labor-consuming. This also leads to a higher possibility of mistakes in the process of changing the transition effects. The change of the transition effects is frequently required in the process of editing a program and in the case of reusing the previously generated program data for another program. The prior art non-linear editing technique imposes a heavy workload, because of the reasons discussed above.
This problem arises not only in the process of setting the transition effects but also in the process of setting cover images superimposed on the program, such as telop, captions, and subtitles, or intermediate images inserted into the program, such as commercials, spots, and other advertising films. If an identical cover image or intermediate image, for example, an image of presenting sponsors, is used at a plurality of different positions in one program, the prior art non-linear editing apparatus requires specification of the identical cover image or intermediate image individually at the respective positions. A heavy workload is accordingly imposed when the cover image or intermediate image is to be replaced, for example, to change a sponsor. In the process of editing a motion video, the main image may be subjected to various effects, such as the adjustment of the lightness and the tone and special effects like mosaic. A similar problem to that discussed above also arises in the case of specifying such effects.